What to do if I test positive
Most people who test positive to COVID-19 will be able to safely recover at home. Find out about what steps you should take and how you can access support.
If you test positive to COVID-19, you must isolate for 7 days after you had your positive COVID-19 test taken. When calculating your isolation period, the date the positive test is taken is day 0.
If you have symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose, cough, or shortness of breath in the last 24 hours of your isolation, you should stay in isolation until 24 hours after your symptoms have resolved. If you are not getting better or have concerns, contact your GP or the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
SA Health advice is that on days 8 to 10 after finishing isolation, you should:
If you test positive to COVID-19, you will need to isolate for 7 days after your positive COVID-19 PCR test taken or you tested positive using a rapid antigen test. If someone in your household subsequently tests positive to COVID, this will not affect your isolation time.
If you have no acute COVID-19 symptoms in the last 24 hours of your isolation, you can leave isolation at the end of your 7 days, even if someone is still positive or in quarantine in your house.
If you have symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose, cough, or shortness of breath in the last 24 hours of your isolation, please stay in isolation until 24 hours after your symptoms have resolved.
Yes. You will be sent a clearance SMS from SA Health that will enable you to download your clearance certificate.
You can leave isolation after 7 days if you do not have acute symptoms, including a sore throat, runny nose, cough, or shortness of breath.
If you have symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose, cough, or shortness of breath in the last 24 hours of your isolation, please stay in isolation until 24 hours after your symptoms have resolved.
If you are not getting better or have concerns, contact your GP or the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
No. You do not need to have a PCR test or rapid antigen test to leave isolation. This is because the virus can sometimes be detected on swabs for up to 3 months after the infection, due to shedding of the virus.
No. You can resume work after finishing isolation without a PCR clearance test. You do not need to undertake surveillance RAT or PCR testing for 28 days after your release from isolation. This is because COVID-19 tests can detect old virus or shedding and reinfection is very unlikely within a month after your infection.
If you do test positive on a rapid antigen test within 28 days of your clearance, no further action is required, provided you have no symptoms.
If you work in a high risk setting, advise your employer before returning to work.
It is important to monitor your symptoms while isolating at home so you know if you need to access medical support.
You can also use the healthdirect COVID-19 Symptom Check to help monitor your systems.
You can access health support via the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 (available 24 hours, 7 days) or your usual GP.
If you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing or chest pain or have any other medical emergency arise, call 000 (Triple Zero) and ask for an ambulance – tell them you are in isolation because you are COVID-19 positive.
COVID-19 treatments are available for people who are at higher risk of severe disease and health outcomes. This includes people who are not fully vaccinated, have a low immune system or who have multiple risk factors, such as a chronic condition, for example, diabetes.
These treatments will not be suitable for everyone and are prescription only. If required, your health care provider will work with you to determine which treatment option is suitable for your circumstances.
If you think you may be eligible to receive one of these treatments, discuss this with your usual GP or health care provider, who can refer you either to a COVID Care Centre or provide a script for anti-viral tablets.
If you are pregnant and have tested positive to COVID-19 you should contact as soon as practical your maternity care providers, such as your GP, obstetrician or midwife. They will be able to assess your health needs and advise the best way to access your regular maternity care while you are isolating with COVID-19.
Find more information about pregnancy and COVID-19.
Yes. You can leave isolation to travel to more suitable accommodation to undergo your isolation period. Travel directly there and do not stop anywhere on the way.
Please discuss with your accommodation provider whether alternative accommodation with your own bathroom is available or protocols for using the bathroom.
If you need to leave your room to go into a common area, ask other members in the house to move to a room where you won’t be accessing or passing through and wear a mask. Avoid touching surfaces or items unnecessarily and clean all surfaces that you touched.
Yes. If your child is subject to custody court orders, they can move between caregiver households during the isolation period. The caregiver and other people in the household will need to follow the advice of a close contact.
If someone in your house tests positive to COVID-19, you must:
In addition to the above mandatory requitements, it is strongly recommended you:
You do not need to restart the close contact guidelines if another person in your household tests positive during your 7 day period or in the 14 days after your quarantine period ends.
If you develop and COVID-19 symptoms, get a PCR test as soon as possible. If you test positive to COVID-19, you will need to isolate for 7 days from the date your positive test was taken.
If someone in your house tests positive more than 14 days after your close contact period ends, you will need to follow the requirements for close contacts.
No. If you have test positive to COVID-19 you must isolate for 7 days and must not leave your home. If possible, someone else may take your children to school. If your child is a close contact, they will be required to follow the close contact guidelines.
Yes. If you have tested positive to COVID-19 and are unable to drive, you can use a taxi or rideshare to seek urgent medical care or attend an essential medical appointment. You and the driver must wear a mask, you must sit in the back seat, and the vehicle’s windows must be down. In an emergency, please call 000.
If you have been in close contact with a positive case within 28 days of your release from isolation, you do not need to follow the close contact guidelines.
If you have been in close contact with a positive case after 28 days of your release from isolation, you must follow the close contact guidelines.
You are able to live with someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 and during the 28 days since your release from isolation you are not considered a close contact.
After 28 days after your release from isolation, if someone in your house tests positive to COVID-19 you will be considered a close contact and must follow the close contact guidelines.
It is important to continue to practice good hand hygiene like covering coughs and sneezes and wipe down frequently touched surfaces.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms after 28 days of finishing isolation, you should get a PCR test and isolate until you receive a result. If you test positive to COVID-19, you must follow the requirements for positive cases.
If you develop new COVID-19 symptoms within 28 days of your release from isolation, you should isolate until you feel well. If you are in a group at higher risk of severe COVID-19 or influenza, you should make an appointment with your GP or a GP Respiratory Clinic to discuss testing for COVID-19 and other respiratory illness.
These higher risk groups include persons aged 60 years and older, persons with immunosuppression or chronic medical conditions, persons with a disability or frailty, persons who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, pregnant women, children aged 5 years or younger, residents of aged care facilities, and homeless persons.
If you have already had COVID-19, it is still possible for you to catch it again. While you will likely have some protection from reinfection, your immunity can will decrease over time making it possible for you to get reinfected.
Reinfection is also more likely now we are seeing new Omicron subvariants in our community (BA.4 and BA.5).
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms 28 days after finishing isolation, you should get a PCR test and isolate until you receive a result. If you test positive to COVID-19, you must follow the requirements for positive cases.
People who have had COVID-19 can be vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. You should still have all the recommended doses.
Check our COVID-19 vaccine frequently asked questions (FAQs) for information on when you should receive your next scheduled dose.
If you have had COVID-19, you do not need to defer other vaccinations – for example, your flu vaccine. But you should not get any vaccine if you are acutely unwell (e.g., you have a fever).
You can call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787 and they will be able to assist.
Yes. You can leave the house to take your child to get tested. Use a drive-through testing site, wear a mask and travel directly there and do not stop anywhere on the way there or back.
If you do not have access to a car, you can travel by public transport wearing a mask to a walk-in site for testing.
Yes. You can leave the house to pick up some rapid antigen tests at a drive-through collection point. Wear a mask and travel directly there and do not stop anywhere on the way there or back.
SA Pathology currently undertakes analysis on some positive PCR samples to confirm which variant of COVID-19 a person has. This sample needs to go through a process called genomic sequencing, which is used to determine the entire genetic makeup of a viral specimen.
In South Australia, genomic sequencing is performed on positive samples when people are very unwell in hospital or who have recently travelled from overseas.
Genomic sequencing is used to learn more about how the virus is changing over time, monitor new variants and link cases to an outbreak.
Not every COVID-19 positive sample is genome sequenced and results are not sent to patients. You cannot request to have genomic sequencing performed on your positive sample.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms while in South Australia, you should get a PCR test as soon as possible. You should isolate until you receive a negative result.
Find your nearest testing site on the PCR testing page.
If you test positive while travelling in South Australia you must complete your isolation in the place you are staying. This could be a hotel, motel, home or other form of accommodation. You must be able to safely stay there and separate from other people.
If you cannot safely isolate in your accommodation, you can move to alternative accommodation. You must travel by private vehicle by the most direct route and not stop along the way.
If you are in a hotel or motel you should stay in your room and avoid contact with other guests and staff. You should notify your accommodation provider that you have tested positive to COVID-19 and request that no housekeeping staff enter the room. Food and linen should be left at the door. You can go onto a private balcony if you have one.
If you test positive to COVID-19 while travelling through South Australia and you can safely continue to drive home, you must travel by the most direct route and not stop along the way.
If you need to stop for fuel, you must use a contactless petrol station and wear a mask when you leave your vehicle. If you are stopping to use amenities, wipe over frequently touched surfaces.
You must not travel on a commercial airline, bus, ferry or train if you have tested positive to COVID-19.
If you are notified a guest in your accommodation has tested positive to COVID-19, they can safely complete their isolation.
Staff should not enter the room. Food and fresh linen should be left at the door for the guest to collect. Used linens and food trays can be collected by staff using usual processes and hand hygiene.
A standard clean can occur 30 minutes after the guest has vacated the room after checking out, ideally open windows or run the HVAC to air the room. Cleaning staff should wear their usual personal protective equipment and perform hand hygiene after completion of tasks. As per usual practices, cleaning equipment should be kept in clean condition.
Yes, you are required to notify your employer, school or early childhood service if you test positive to COVID-19 or you are a close contact.
You must undertake 5 rapid antigen tests over 7 days after your exposure. Where possible, you should undertake this rapid antigen test prior to leaving your home.
Yes, you can attend a pharmacy to access medical supplies.
If you are a close contact with no COVID-19 symptoms, you can access free rapid antigen tests from RAT Collection Points across the state. You must register before collecting your kits from the RAT Collection Point.
If you cannot access rapid antigen tests, you can get a PCR test on day 1 and day 6 after your exposure. You can leave quarantine after the initial test is collected, provided you do not have COVID symptoms.
Yes, you can visit a pathology collection centre to access medical care.
Yes, you can attend the chiropractor to access medical care, however, it is strongly recommended you reschedule your appointment where possible.
You should reschedule your dental appointment, unless it is an emergency.
Yes, you can attend the dentist to access emergency medical care.
Your child can have a PCR on day 1 and day 6 after exposure. Your child can leave quarantine after the initial test is collected, provided he/she does not have COVID symptoms.
Your child can have a PCR on day 1 and day 6 after exposure. Your child can leave quarantine after the initial test is collected, provided he/she does not have COVID symptoms.
Close contacts can attend GP appointments for medical care. If the appointment is not urgent, we strongly recommend you reschedule. If it is urgent and another carer cannot take your child to the appointment, you can attend the GP. Please follow the advice recommended by your general practice.
No, as a close contact, you must wear a mask when you leave the house for 7 days after your exposure. During exercise inside a gym class, this is not possible.
You can call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787 and they will be able to assist.
Not everyone will receive a text message, which may be due to the mobile number entered at the timing of undertaking a PCR test or entering a positive RAT result.
Please contact he National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 (available 24 hours, 7 days) or your usual GP if you have any health concerns.